A SIX-YEAR-OLD heroine received a special school visit from paramedics after her quick thinking helped save her mother who had collapsed with a severe asthma attack.

GABRIELLA and GMAS Emergency Medical Dispatcher Joanne Williamson, who took the youngster’s call.

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A SIX-YEAR-OLD heroine received a special school visit from paramedics after her quick thinking helped save her mother who had collapsed with a severe asthma attack.

Gabriella Hearth received the visit as a special 'thank you' from the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service (GMAS) for guiding paramedics to her remote family home after Nicola Jeffrey-Sykes became seriously ill.

And the proud mum was on hand to see Gabriella's special assembly and hear Eddie Barlow, GMAS liaison manager, pay tribute to her bravery in front of friends at St Chad's primary, in Uppermill.

Eddie said: "Gabriella's quick thinking and bravery is incredible for such a young girl - it ensured a very frightening situation had a happy ending."

"It gave me a great opportunity to speak to the youngsters about how to respond to a 999 call, because Gabriella did such a fantastic job under pressure."

The drama unfolded last December when mum Nicola collapsed after a severe asthma attack. With no one else there to help, the cool-headed youngster dialled 999 and explained to ambulance staff what had happened.

She explained her mum's condition and then stayed on the line for quarter of an hour to give paramedics directions to their secluded farmhouse at Peters Farm, Pob Green Lane, Uppermill.

Mum Nicola - a successful businesswoman who suffers about 20 attacks a year because of her rare "brittle" asthma - was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital and made a full recovery after being kept in overnight.

She said: "I have no doubts she saved my life. She's a vary brave and intelligent little girl and I don't know where I'd be without her.

"I think the ambulance staff thought it was a hoax call at first because they couldn't locate the farmhouse on their system, but Gabriella stayed on the line to explain where it was."

She added: "She even asked them if they would take her to her swimming lesson because mummy was ill and couldn't."

Peter Burnley, head teacher at St Chad's, said: "Everyone at St Chad's is very proud of Gabriella and thinks she did brilliantly. Well done Gabriella!"